For a series that featured super-powered teens punching their way through enemy hordes, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was bereft of brawlers during its glory days of the ’90s. Developer Digital Eclipse is set to fix that with Rita’s Rewind, and so far, it seems up to the task.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers featured many brawls between teen drama and visits to the Angel Grove Youth Center, but beyond this, there was only one beat ’em up video game I can recall. In the ’90s? I know, it’s completely absurd! There were many fighting games, naturally. The brawler in question launched only for the Super Nintendo in 1995. I was a Sega kid, which meant I was out of luck.
You know what time it is
As a rabid fan of the show in my youth, I could only dream of something like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind. Sure, I did enjoy the fighter on the Sega Genesis, in which I mostly won by spamming the Black Ranger’s OP axe combo. But, as someone who would play Streets of Rage in the morning and later watch the cheesy, spark-heavy show, I wanted the same for the Rangers. After playing the game’s demo, I’m confident that Rita’s Rewind could end up being the game I always wanted.
It stars the titular teenagers with attitude who must punch and kick their way through waves of Putties on their way to dispatch one of Rita’s nasty beasts. But the game isn’t some anachronistic continuation of the show; it’s a celebration of the golden age of the Power Rangers.
Rita’s Rewind focuses on the original team from the first two seasons. Billy, Zach, Jason, Trini, and Kimberly face off against Rita Repulsa, but the scream queen isn’t alone. Rita pairs up with Robo-Rita, a robotic variant of herself who successfully uses a time portal to return to the past. The game’s story is inspired heavily by the plot of the 2023 Netflix special Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always. I’ll avoid any spoilers, but it’s an inspired idea.
Taking the beats to the Angel Grove streets
Rita’s Rewind is a beat ’em up in the strictest sense. You hit the streets and then hit everything that moves until you’re the last one standing. Watch for the Go! sign and keep heading right. Combat is broken into light and heavy combos, complete with dash attacks, uppercuts, and dive moves. Anyone who has played a brawler in the last few decades will feel at home. The game also includes a move to get behind an enemy with an option for a follow-up attack, something that TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge players should warmly embrace.
Rita’s Rewind certainly feels like it’s taking some cues from the Shredder’s Revenge playbook, at least in the short demo I experienced. But it pulls off the action exceptionally well, much better than other games attempting to mix nostalgia and 2D brawler action. Up to five players can team up on the couch or in online co-op for some Putty-punching fun. And punch Putties you will.
The game isn’t shy about filling the screen with the brainless gray foes. Busting combos as your Ranger of choice will send dozens of Putties spiraling across the screen with satisfying thwack noises. Enemy types include your regular Putties but also ones with spikes for hands and the flying, crow-like Tengas. A meter charges up as you punch and slash your way through the game, allowing you to let rip a super move that clears the screen.
The gameplay is crisp and smooth, leaving me little doubt that Rita’s Rewind won’t disappoint any of us old fogies when it arrives later this year. There was also plenty I didn’t experience in the demo, including shooting and vehicle segments showcased in the game’s trailer.
I do have a few quibbles, but nothing too major. The super moves are merely serviceable and mostly exist as one-button screen wipes. They differ based on which Ranger fires it off, either by killing or freezing enemies. I didn’t see them all, but I hope there’s more variation. It felt like the team and I were competing with who could hold it and kill the most enemies simultaneously, leading to multiple supers going off at the same time. The window of time to pull off the downward attack also felt too short, and many of my successful attempts seemed like luck.
We played a level that felt early in the game, which saw my team and I throwing fists in Angel Grove. The city looks fantastic in its pixelated form, from its grungy street to its rooftop cafes. Billboards for recognizable places from the show dotted the background. The battle was fierce as we reached the final roof, where Rita’s iconic henchman, Goldar, was waiting for an old-timey scrap. We duked it out, and I was surprised by how tough the golden boy was.
Make this monster grow
We eventually won the battle, but the demo ended just as Rita hurled her wand to Earth for the classic kaiju-esque fight. Man, now that I think about it, I’m surprised no professional team ever offered her a contract. Rita’s got a cannon for an arm if she’s tossing that staff from the moon.
During the demo, I got to chat about the game with Digital Eclipse’s content editor and industry vet Dan Amrich. He showed me the ropes and ultimately teased what happens after Rita makes her monster grow. I expected a sequence like in the show where the Rangers hop into their Dinozords to combine to form the Megazord for a titanic dust-up. That’s true, but Amrich explained there’s often more to it than that. You often get to pilot the Dinozords and fend off attacks, fighting your way with the team before a co-op fight using the Megazord. It all sounds so damn cool.
He also mentioned that many of those who came to try the demo hit him with a similar question: “Where’s the White Ranger?” In August, Digital Eclipse revealed that players can unlock Tommy the Green Ranger after completing the campaign. It’s only natural that fans would desire to play as him in his clean, Season 2 drip.
Mostly, though, we reminisced about the show and how much it influenced us in our youth. When speaking with Dan, it was clear that Rita’s Rewind is a passion project for him and the team. I can definitely feel it. If the small slice of the game is any representation, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind will be one for the fans and lovers of beat ’em up games. Before we parted, I couldn’t resist asking Amrich if we should expect the White Ranger to arrive. He laughed and quickly made his escape. I’ll take that as a soft maybe.
